Smart Zones' are dumb

Michigan bureaucrats don't seem to get the message when it comes to offering special tax breaks supposedly designed to help business.

The Michigan Economic Development Corp., in an effort to make the state become more than just a manufacturing hub, wants to create special zones to attract high-tech business.

So it's now creating what are being called "SmartZones" or clusters of high-tech businesses, research institutions and training facilities throughout Michigan.

They hope to attract new business to Michigan by offering special tax incentives and other assistance.

The SmartZones, which were announced recently, will be located in Battle Creek, Lansing, Mount Pleasant, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Houghton, Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti and three Detroit-area locations.

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Under the plan, each SmartZone°° location in cities may use property and school taxes for up to 15 years to purchase property and build infrastructure and research parks.

They will also be allowed to take advantage of the state Core Community Fund, a $50 million program designed by the Michigan Legislature to help businesses get started.

While this may sound wonderful to those wanting to start new businesses, it's not fair to others doing business in Michigan.

No one would argue that it's important for the state economy to be more diversified and less auto manufacturing dependent, but this is not the way to do it.

If Michigan really wants to attract new outstate business, it needs to work on making the entire state business-friendly, instead of just a certain kind of business.

It's simply not right to give some businesses tax breaks and expect the rest to pay the full tab.